Elegant, even out of the water

The classic lines of venerable cruise ship Marco Polo are a world away from those of modern ships. Built in 1965 as Aleksandr Pushkin it now sails from UK ports for Cruise & Maritime Voyages.
That curving, ice-strengthened hull is obvious enough when the ship is at sea, and it’s even more apparent at the moment, as the vessel is in drydock in Antwerp for her biennial overhaul.
There’s not a bulbous bow in sight as Marco Polo stands proudly on her blocks, being prepared for a winter season cruising to the Caribbean, the Amazon, and the Canaries.
Before then, she’ll be back at her home base of Tilbury, on the Thames, ready to play host to day visitors and party people. Have lunch and watch a show, or sit down to dinner before an evening of cabaret followed by bed and breakfast on board.
The gangway will be open for visitors on December 13, 14, 15 and 19 – although overnight places on the 14th and 15th are already sold out. Lunch, with wine included, costs £49 pp. Dinner is £79 and it costs only £10 extra for B&B.
Bookings must be made online, at www.cruiseandmaritime.com
Meanwhile, work proceeds on Voyages of Discovery’s new ship, Voyager, in dock at Portland, Dorset.
The latest task was to paint the quoits court on the teak deck – one of thousands of tasks to be completed before the ship is ready for its re-launch on December 4.